Dhanteras : The meaning and the legend behind it

The first of many festivals on Diwali season is Dhanteras. Teras is basically ‘Tera’ which is triyodashi or 13th date of the month according to Hindu calendar. Lord Yama or God of Justice and the Goddess of Wealth or Mother Lakshmi is worshipped on this day. Traditionally, people buy shinning ornaments like jewellery made of gold or silver jewellery or utensils to celebrate Dhanteras. A lamp or diya is lightened to mark the arrival of Diwali.

How do people celebrate Dhanteras :

It is highly believed that Goddess Lakshmi always favours a clean and decorated place. Hence people clean their houses and business places like shop etc and decorate it with the rangoli and light. As per tradition, people buy jewellery or utensils. Family members gather together to sing hymes to praise the Goddess.

Why do we celebrate Dhanteras?

The celebration of Dhanteras is associated with a legend of love, devotion, sacrifice and faith. The legend states a story of King Hima who was loved by his people and subjects. The king had a son who was predestined to die by snake-bite in his sleep on the fourth day of his marriage. Despite knowing the fate of the prince, a princess was ready to marry him.

Days passed with the fear of the beloved prince dying on the fourth day of the marriage. The newly wedded wife, however, was very intelligent and knew that her faith and devotion will oblige the God of Justice (Lord Yama). Hence on the fourth day, when death was about to arrive in their room, queen lit the lamps all over the palace and laid out her ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a heap at the entrance of the sleeping chamber.

When Yama, the god of Death and Justice, arrived at the prince’s doorstep in the guise of a Serpent, his eyes were dazzled and blinded by the brilliance of the lamps and the jewellery. Yama could not enter the Prince’s chamber, so he climbed on top of the heap of gold coins and sat there the entire night listening to the stories and songs. In the morning, he silently went away not due to the fact that he was dazzled and blinded by the brilliance of the lamps and the jewellery but due to the intelligence and love of the wife for her husband. Thus, the young prince was saved from the clutches of death by the cleverness of his new bride, and the day came to be celebrated as Dhanteras.

Not only this, on this day when gods and demon churned the ocean for nector, Dhanvantari (the physician of the Gods) emerged carrying a jar of the elixir

Shekhar is working as Digital Marketing Associate at FreeKaaMaal. He is a MBA graduate who loves to write on interesting topics related to Tech and online Shopping . He is always up for dessert and an interesting conversation.